FWD.us was excited to host the 2020 Texas Immigration Webinar Series. Immigrants are driving innovation, working on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19, and enriching our culture and economy. Home to more than 4.7 million immigrants, Texas is at the heart of our country’s immigration conversation. The four-part webinar series, which took place Nov. 18–Dec. 15, featured panels with elected officials from both sides of the aisle, business and civic leaders, and immigration experts on the impact of immigration to the business community and economy, in Texas and nationally.
Past Events
Texas Immigration Webinar Series hosted by FWD.us
Webinar 1: Immigration Avenues & Visa Reform
This Nov. 18 webinar included speakers from the Texas Nursery and Landscape Association, Texas Construction Association, Finkelman Law, and FWD.us. As Texas’ economy continues to fight the hardships of the pandemic, a strong and fully-staffed workforce will be vital to its recovery. In Webinar 1, we discussed the ways foreign workers sustain the economy and how the government can do more to deliver a healthy workforce to Texas.
Webinar 2: Immigrants & the Texas Economy
This Dec. 1 panel elevated the contributions immigrants make to a wide range of industries within Texas’s globally-competitive economy. Featuring speakers from the Center for Houston’s Future, Texas Association of Business, North Texas Commission, and Texas Restaurant Association, this discussion represented the impact immigrants make as employees and entrepreneurs in Texas and highlights the need for immigration reform to benefit businesses and the economy.
Webinar 3: DACA’s Economic & Community Impact
This Dec. 8 panel focused on one of the most-discussed immigration issues of the past several years, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. With panelists from the Texas Business Immigration Coalition, FWD.us, San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and New American Economy, this webinar highlights the impact of Texas’ 100,000+ DACA recipients. Contributing hundreds of millions in tax dollars and billions to the state GDP, DACA recipients are an increasingly important part of our community and economy.
Webinar 4: Bipartisan Support for Pro-Immigration Policies
With the 2020 election solidifying the nation’s bipartisan call for immigration reform, this final webinar on Dec. 15 brought together leaders from both sides of the aisle to call for meaningful reform. Speakers from the Texas Business Leadership Council, Bipartisan Policy Center, and Precision Task Group, as well as Texas State Rep. Mary González joined to discuss a path forward for Texas and the United States.